US Senator Murphy Comments on Possible Prisoner Exchange

US Senators Chris Murphy and Ronald Johnson are in Kyiv on a working visit

uatv

06.09.2019

Photo from Ukrinform – UATV

US Senator Chris Murphy has said he hopes that the expected mutual release of detainees between Ukraine and Russia will help free more Ukrainians in the future.

The US politician said this at a briefing in Kyiv following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a Ukrinform correspondent.

“We don’t generally comment on court decisions, but we are hopeful that after consultations between President Zelensky and [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, we may see an easing of tensions between Ukraine and Russia and, perhaps, the additional release of Ukrainians that are being held by the Russian authorities,” he said, when asked to comment on the release of Volodymyr Tsemakh, a suspect in the downing of MH17.

Murphy said that the mutual release of detainees could be an important signal that “relations between Ukraine and Russia can be different, going forward.”

“There will continue to be serious life and death issues to discuss, but this will be an important series of steps,” he added.

Senators Ronald Johnson and Chris Murphy arrived in Ukraine on September 5, 2019.

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